


two to tango

by wingsaloof



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:07:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21981139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsaloof/pseuds/wingsaloof
Summary: Autumn Troupe decides to pull some strings for Sakyo and Izumi.
Relationships: Furuichi Sakyou/Tachibana Izumi
Comments: 50
Kudos: 388





	two to tango

**Author's Note:**

> written for A3 Secret Santa 2019. merry (late) christmas, [liana](https://twitter.com/uzukimakio)!
> 
> (sorry for making you wait >_<)  
> 
> 
> ((couldn't fit this into the tags but there is some banri/juza teasing throught the fic))

"I know these are shocking news, but we have to do something about this situation."

It had been an uneventful afternoon for most of Autumn Troupe, so far. They were on Summer break from school and college, thus, their time was devoted to activities with little to no relevance. Banri was playing a game he got last week, Taichi watching as he pretended homework wasn't real. Juza, on the other hand, was getting a head start on his next semester's projects, going through some of the planned reading. Fired up by Omi's questions on the subject, they were having a casual discussion on Commedia del Arte and similar classic Italian theater commonplaces. Sakyo was out of the dorms, busy with work.

Azami had decided to clean their room, and that was where things had gone astray.

"Wait, let's go over this again." Omi couldn't quite understand what Azami was trying to say when loud-whispering about 'an emergency'. "You were cleaning your side of the room, and decided to move the furniture around so you could clean behind it."

"And then you found papers scattered behind your dresser." Juza continued, as confused as everyone else was. "And you decided to look at it."

"Of course! It has been windy these days. Maybe something had fallen from my desk."

"But... those papers were Sakyo-nii's?"

Banri huffed and cut through the conversation. "Go straight to the point, what was it about?"

"Those were..." His voice changed to a whisper, once more. "... love letters to the director." 

The revelation was met with strong reactions: Banri roared with laughter, Juza snickered but tried to hide it with a cough, Taichi hummed in appreciation and even Omi couldn’t hold back a chuckle. Azami, pink from head to toe, clutched said letters, looking about three seconds away from exploding. 

“H- How can you laugh at something this serious? How long has this been going on? We are facing a crisis here. The Director may be in danger, there is a man who... has desires for her living under the same roof as her!”

“Wait, did you really not notice that?” 

“Even I got that a long time ago.” Juza nodded. “I think everyone knows.”

“Come on, hand it over.” Banri reached out for the letters. “I can’t move on with my life without ever reading these.” Azami tried to protect Sakyo’s integrity, but the taller and stronger guy snatched it away from him in no time. Clearing his throat, the Autumn troupe leader got into character, ready to act out whatever Sakyo had confessed.

* * *

“Tachibana, 

I know this sounds like a very stupid idea. I don’t know what has gotten into me, but since this is a recognized (and even recommended) form of venting, I thought I should give it a try.   
I’m writing to talk about my feelings for you.  
Since you’re not ever going to read this, rather than explaining myself, I’d rather just get to the main part. I’ve loved you for years. Since you were that cute, little, snotty girl who came over to play, and I thought that was but a mere childhood crush; then you suddenly came back into my life. Strong, beautiful, too bossy, but I appreciate that as well. I thought I had overcome these feelings a long time ago, but you proved me wrong. You’re always proving me wrong, Tachibana. I can feel myself falling harder as the seasons change, and I’ve never felt this"

* * *

“The page cuts off here.” Banri shows the blank verse to the rest of his troupe, who have stopped laughing. Even their leader himself felt his grin fade away as he went through the letter, can’t help but feel for the writer.

“Sakyo-nii has it really hard, huh...” Taichi looked about to start sniffling, touched by the unexpected emotional tone of the writing. “Ever since they were children...”

“That’s actually a lovely story.” Omi patted Taichi’s back as if comforting the boy. “I find it commendable that he’s being honest with himself.”

“I never expected Sakyo-san to be... like this.” Juza snatched the letters from Banri, who nodded while showing the amount of paper.

“And there’s, like, a dozen of them.”

Azami snatched the pile from both of them. “Are all of you ignoring the main point here? We’re all men here, don’t we know all guys are wolves?”

“Come on, Azami, he’s just an old man with a crush. It’s harmless. What is he going to do, recite some poetry to her under the moonlight?”

“That would actually be a nice idea.” Omi laughed.

“I thought everyone would be better than this... more mindful of Director’s situation... we can’t let this go on like this!”

“You’re right, Azami-kun!” Taichi piped up, fist raised in encouragement. “We have to hook them up!”

“Finally someone is on my side-- No, we’re not going to do that!”

“You know, that’s not a bad idea?” Chin in hand, Banri wondered about the possibilities. “Maybe Director would help him with pulling out whatever stick is up his ass.” 

“Don’t put it like that, Banri. But I agree that they would make a great couple... I don’t think Director would be opposed to the idea of dating Sakyo-san.”

“If you guys are in, I’m in.” Juza nodded.

“I can’t believe you all. I can’t believe you are going to do it!”

“If everything goes well, we’re not the ones who are going to do it.”

“Banri-san, I’m going to murder you.”

* * *

“Tachibana,

I dreamed of you last night. I’m writing it down so I won’t forget it; we strolled by the seaside, holding hands and watching fireworks. Your smile was bright, and as I woke up, I still could feel the warmth on my hand.”

* * *

“Tachibana,

I have to admit: as stupid as this method is, it is working, somehow. I feel relieved of a burden I couldn’t remember carrying for so long. I wonder what would be your reaction if you ever knew of these.”

* * *

“Tachibana,

Yesterday was the final performance of Autumn Troupe’s latest play.

I want to keep you making happy like this as long as I live.”

* * *

“He is totally whipped. Helpless.” Banri stared at the notes in disbelief — he would never, ever, in a thousand years, peg Sakyo as such a passionate romantic. Of course, he was a part of the shoujo manga club, but it was a leap and a half from reading cheesy one-sided romances to living a cheesy one-sided romance. 

If it was one-sided, of course. He’s not blind, and the Director sure isn’t, as well. Practice isn’t the best time to observe them, as she has to keep her attention to everyone equally. Outside of that, though, he can feel those two almost gravitating towards each other, exchanging glances for too long. Sakyo marks his words with awkward coughing, she replies with bubbly laughter. Sometimes it was almost suffocating to watch them, God, they’re disgusting.

“But how are we going to make Sakyo-nii confess?” Taichi spun around on Banri’s gaming chair, pack of chips in hand.

“That’s the part I’m stuck on. By the way, don’t get near my computer while eating.”

Of course, they needed a plan to get the couple together. Gathered in room 104, it had been less than a day since the initial “emergency”, but the boys decided to be quick in getting into action. 

“Will he even want to confess? We can’t push him to do it.” Juza stared down from his bed, lying on his side.

“If he ever notices I found the letters and showed them to you, we would all die within minutes.” Azami was participating with reluctance, arms crossed and a pout on his face. “I still think this is the worst idea any of us has ever had.”

“You weren’t here for the first year, Settsu would spew them one after another.”

“Quiet, Hyodo.”

“Anyway.” Omi interrupted them before they could start fighting and ended up forgetting what they were talking about. “Sakyo-san doesn’t need to be the one doing everything, right?”

“It takes two to ballad!”

“To tango, Taichi.”

“But, like, getting Director to confess isn’t a bad idea at all...”

“Why are we all assuming she likes him back?” The sole detractor spoke up one more time, in hopes of finding a flaw in this whole scheme.

Silence followed, as everyone tried to find ways to express their disbelief.

“Azami...”

* * *

“Hey, Director, can I give a suggestion?” 

“Sure, go ahead.” 

They decided on pulling their strings during break time, somewhere closer to the end of their afternoon practice. There was no denying that all of them were theater geeks — but compared to the couple at hand, the rest of Autumn Troupe were newbies, still learning their way through the stage. It seemed logical to use acting as a tool to bring them closer, in hopes of causing enough friction to spark something between the two of them. As the leader, Banri stepped up to the role of motivator, the one who could come up with that proposal without raising eyebrows. 

“I was thinking we could practice with etudes for a while. Since we’re taking a more humorous approach this time, working on our ad-libs wouldn’t hurt us at all.”

“Good idea!”

“I’m glad to see you becoming more mindful of your responsibilities, Settsu.”

Nice, both of them approved the idea.

“Yeah, thanks, anyway— Any themes in mind?”

“Oh! I have one!” Taichi raised his hand, ready to play his part in the grand scheme. He was the most likely person in the room to bring a prompt that quickly and with that theme in particular. “What if we tried something like a romantic comedy?”

Azami didn’t even need to feign embarrassment. “Can I step out of this one, please? Nothing personal, but I don’t want to act like a couple with any of you.”

“I can understand that, Azami.” Banri nodded, throwing a glance in Juza’s direction. “For example, I wouldn’t ever have to pretend I’m sappy with Hyodo. Even if it’s for theater.”

“Then you’re not a good enough actor.”

“Shut up, dumbass.”

“Make me, you idiot.”

“Hey, that already sounds like the beginning of a good romantic comedy!” Taichi grinned, watching the scene unfold.

Before Izumi could intervene, the look in Banri’s eyes had already changed. He had taken up the challenge, and now there was no one besides Juza who could stop him. She sighed while sitting down again, not feeling ready enough to witness whatever was about to happen. The feeling was spread all over the room — that etude was not a part of the plan.

“Why did you call my sister to ask about how I was doing?” Banri slicked his hair back, hand on waist. His voice was an annoyed huff, complaining as he shifted the weight of his body on one crossed leg.

“You wouldn’t pick up any of my calls.” Juza’s tone was composed, low, as if mimicking Hollywood casanovas. “The situation called for drastic measures. I was worried.”

“If you worry so much about me, then how come you went home after the school festival, instead of staying with me?”

“Why do you still remember that—”

“Of course I do! I was hoping that you would notice me, looking at you all the time, hoping to be by your side. I had a terrible day, one of the worsts I’ve ever had, but you could have helped just by _staying_.” He looked downwards, expression shifting to bitter nostalgia. “It’s the small things that count, Kazuya, and you can’t understand that at all.”

“Oh, they’re going with a more faux-dramatic approach?” Izumi smiled, shaking her head at the cliched plot.

“That was so long ago, Itsuki.” Juza drew closer to Banri, a hand firm on the blond’s waist. “I can’t believe that hurt you so much, I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s too late.” They looked at each other once more, and while Itsuki’s words were of refusal, his eyes seemed to tell a different story.

“I am being as honest as I can. I thought you hated me. That you wanted to make fun of me, that you found me creepy and stupid...” He sighed, arms now around Banri’s hips. “Do you still remember how surprised I was when you confessed to me? After our graduation ceremony, right before it started to rain?”

“They have a previous story!” Taichi beamed, completely immersed in the act.

“I can’t ever forget the look on your face.” Banri touched Juza’s cheek with delicate fingers, letting his hand stroke down his face. “It’s my fault after all, isn’t it? I should have been more honest with myself. I should have...”

Pausing for a second, Banri realized how engrossed they got into the etude. How unexpectedly soft Juza’s skin felt under his touch. How those arms tightened around him as the drama unfolded. The warmth rose up to his ears as he realized how they were at that moment, sharing a lover’s embrace, noses centimeters away from touching.

“I want to die”, he thought for a split second, and then corrected it: “I am going to die, and it’s going to be by Hyodo’s hands.”

“No!” ‘Kazuya’ interrupted his thoughts by grabbing the hand that caressed his face. “It’s my fault too. I should have come forward sooner. I am so sorry, Itsuki. I swear I will make up for all the pain I’ve given you, if only you will let me...”

The audience gasped as Juza pulled Banri closer, too close. Azami covered his eyes while Taichi slapped his arm out of excitement. Omi’s mouth was hanging open in genuine surprise, and even Sakyo was unable to react. Izumi knew she had to cut the scene before something else happened, but she was unable to move in her shock.

Thankfully, Banri was alert enough to save himself.

“Oh, fuck no, Hyodo.” He pushed his partner away, tongue sticking out in disgust.

“I’m sorry. I got too focused.” Even Juza himself seemed to be surprised by how far they ended up taking things, apologizing in earnest.

Banri turned to the rest of his troupe, still in complete silence, taken back by the sudden end of the etude. “Hey, why are you all so quiet?”

“I guess it’s no fun watching two guys doing this.” Juza sat down, pretending to keep his cool while trying to put things back on track. Banri quickly picked up on that and followed:

“Yeah, I guess that’s it. Can’t blame any of you, especially when Hyodo’s ugly mug is involved.”

“Please, don’t start fighting again.” Omi tried to redirect the focus to their original plan. “But I agree that it would be fun to see the Director playing along with us once in a while.”

“No, no chance of that happening.” Izumi got into defense right away, arms raised in front of her chest. “Especially with a theme like this. No offense, but most of you are children and like little brothers to me. I can’t do this.”

“Then is it okay if it’s someone older?” Taichi chimed in.

“Well, we have Sakyo-san here after all...” Banri grinned. “I think that would be super interesting, the two of you acting together.”

“... I guess that’s better than seeing these two again.” Azami hugged his knees, looking away.

“Come on, Director, do it for us!”

“H- Hey, I’m not the only one who has a saying on this—”

“Would you be okay with this, Sakyo-san?” Juza turned to him. “... I’m sure the two of you can give us a better scene.”

Sakyo, who had been quiet all along, had his eyebrows raised at the commotion around him. He couldn’t deny he had been longing to act with Izumi ever since he joined Mankai Company, though. Hammy as she was, the most important thing was if they could have fun while doing it.

“If you’re okay with it, Director.”

“... If you’ll have me, Sakyo-san.”

Izumi’s smile was strong as Sakyo helped her getting up from the floor, holding out his hand. Banri and Taichi cheered in commemoration of their agreement. Even out of context, that exchange sounded so romantic in nature...

“Then let’s get started.”

* * *

  
“Miki, it’s so cold. Don’t you want to go home?”

Sakyo’s voice had changed to a warm whisper, eyes softening at her. Izumi could see the scene building itself around her — empty streets in an early winter afternoon. The man standing before her, whatever his name is right now, bundled in a long coat and a scarf that’s almost being blown away by the strong wing. ‘I’m Miki’, she nods to herself and prays that her delivery won’t be too affected by her terrible skills and her nerves.

After all, she was well aware of what this scene will demand from her: acting as Sakyo’s romantic partner.

She’s almost sure these kids (and Omi) had a finger or two in this.

“Can’t we stay a little longer?” Izumi stepped closer and held his hand again. If this is what they set her up to, she may as well make the best out of it. “I wanted to see the Christmas lights with you.”

“No wonder you’re this excited.” His carefree laugh was the cue for her next line.

“It’s our first holiday as a couple, after all.” Her diction was butchered and it came out flatter than intended. Whoa, what an excited girlfriend. At least, she tried to save it with a better-delivered line. “I wanted to make it special!”

“Being with you is more than special enough for me.” Sakyo didn’t stutter or hesitate while serving his lines. That’s amazing, Izumi mused. He’s come so far, everyone has. 

She looked at their audience and had to hold back a laugh before she ruined the etude.

Taichi was grinning from ear to ear, in unabashed happiness. To his left, Omi wore a matching smile; to his right, Juza applied another kind of focus to their performance: once again, when it came to acting, he forgot about everything else. Banri was smug, amused with the development, and Azami still looked bored out of his life, trying to pretend that was not as awkward as it felt to him.

Sakyo tugged on her hand, and she was drawn back to character.

“... You’re such a sweetheart, Nao-kun.” She decided on moving up to his arm, snuggling up to him. “What do you want me to cook for dinner?”

“Anything would be fine—”

“Even curry?” As she cut through his line, she felt herself slip out of character, which caught Sakyo off guard.

“E- Even curry.”

Izumi could hear Banri’s laughter from the back of the room. 

“Then I’m going to cook a very special feast for you tonight!” She hummed, supposedly to show happiness, but her monotone didn’t allow that feeling to come through.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

It felt like a good point to cut off the etude, but Izumi hesitated in making the call. She wanted to bask for a while in that feeling, the sensation of Sakyo being loving to her, pretending to be a live-in couple. Just for a little longer, she wanted to admire the way his eyes softened at the corners. Let that moment linger, memorize how his head tilted when looking at her, the feeling of his coat against her chest, fingertips touching her palm.

“Say, Miki, can I ask you something?”

“Oh, sure.” She quickly replied, dragging herself into the scenario. “Anything, Nao-kun.”

“Can you make that feast for me next year?”

“Huh?” The surprise in her voice was legit; she couldn’t replicate that feeling by acting it out.

“And the next one, and the one after that.”

“N- Nao-kun?”

Sakyo spread his arm over her shoulders, leaning down, so their foreheads would touch.

“What I mean is... can I spend every Christmas from now on by your side?”

Izumi gasped, jumping into his arms. “Of course!” 

The rest of Autumn Troupe deemed that outcome as good enough, apparently. Even Azami was clapping at the scene, while Taichi had tears welling up, dramatic as he was. 

“Well, Director, you’re not that bad. After you get into it, of course.” Banri couldn’t miss a chance to make fun of them, but it was in good intention. In any case, the taunt had flown over her head: despite the end of their etude, Sakyo and Izumi still seemed to be in their own world, commenting on each other’s performances and plot developments. She was laughing at something he said, and the look in his eyes made everyone stop for a moment and marvel at the scene.

“See, Azami?” Omi whispered, poking at the boy. “You can trust Sakyo-san. Director will be in very good hands.”

“Whatever that stupid old man does is not of my interest. They’re both adults, they can deal with their problems.”

“I’m glad to see you agree with us now.”

* * *

“Taichi-kun, don’t lie to me.”

“I- I could never do that!”

Izumi ambushed him on the hallways later that night, when everyone was left to their own devices. Poor Taichi, but there was no denying he would be the easiest one to squeeze information from. The whole build-up to that etude during afternoon practice spelled it out for her: the kids in Autumn Troupe were trying to set Sakyo and her up. That was obvious from their reactions; the way Omi and Taichi were giddy and all smiles, the smug look on Banri’s face, Juza’s softening expression, and how even Azami stopped complaining about the theme after the first etude.

“Exact, you could never do that. Now, tell me, who came up with the plan?”

“What plan, Director?”

“Come on, Taichi-kun.” She felt terrible doing that to a child, but her personal life was more important than that. Probably.

“... Omi suggested we did it at practice, Banri suggested using an etude!”

“I knew it.” No need to press him further: once Taichi opened his mouth, everything else would leak. “Why are you doing this?”

“Well, I’m sorry to put it like this...”

“No need to apologize.”

“... you two are super in love, Director. It’s obvious to anyone, even to me, and you know I’m pretty stupid.”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that, Taichi-kun.” They still had some work to do on his self-esteem, but that wasn’t the main issue at the moment. “I didn’t think it was that obvious.”

“Wait, so you know he likes you?”

Now that was a good question. Izumi did know Sakyo was in love with her, she knew it all along, but — there was much more on the table than simply confessing and getting together, and she was sure Sakyo would agree with that. The risk of a relationship between co-workers, between two people who lived together. She couldn’t bring herself to go through that, to make him go through that, to subject the entire company to the possible consequences of a fallout. 

Izumi was scared of ruining everything, so she pretended those feelings weren’t that strong. Even if she used every possible chance to be closer to him, and indulge herself a little in his light; that was her consolation prize, an attempt to quench her thirst, even if only marginally.

“... It’s complex.”

Taichi nodded, paying full attention to her. It may be knowledge beyond his years, but he has read enough romances to understand the weight that sentence carries, as well as how many things can be hidden behind it.

“But did you talk to him about it?”

“Of course not, Taichi-kun.” That would be the logical thing to do, discuss things over with Sakyo. She can’t blame him for getting to that conclusion. “Listen, don’t worry about us. We will sort things out in our own time, like the adults we are.” 

She could see it in his face. He wasn’t buying it.

“Just don’t worry, okay?” Izumi asked one more time. “None of you need to be concerned with all of this.”

* * *

“I am very concerned with all of this.”

After the ambush, Taichi felt the need to call for an additional Autumn-sans-Sakyo gathering. This time, their meeting spot was room 105, and they took no time in going straight to the floor, huddled around a snack table. 

“I don’t know how you thought this would not happen.” Azami munched on a cookie, courtesy of Juza’s stash, brought over by Banri. “Director’s smart, Sakyo isn’t dumb. One of them would pick up on it sooner or later.”

“Nah, I was hoping they would notice.” Banri stretched himself, feeling cramped. “I agree that they have to resolve it between themselves, we were just giving a push.”

“Don’t you think we have to give them a stronger push?”

“Stronger than making them act as a couple?”

“I understand where Taichi is going.” Omi opened another pack of cookies. “They were acting like a couple, but those were characters. Maybe what they need is to talk as Sakyo and Izumi.”

“So what can we do to make them have this conversation?”

“We can’t force them.”

“But there must be a way to push them closer...”

“And we gotta set the mood!”

“Okay, listen up...”

* * *

  
Izumi’s phone rang a little after seven, stealing her attention away from the documents on the table. Along with Sakyo, they had taken the afternoon for going through finances and planning for the upcoming quarter, strenuous work that had been piling up for a while. Professional as she was, the director didn’t let yesterday’s conversation with Taichi get to her. Work was work, and her thoughts about romance could come much later. That notification, though, worked as an alarm: time to call it a day, they concluded. He took off his glasses, rubbing his forehead, while she let her ponytail down, heaving a long sigh. 

“Let’s stop here for today.”

“For tonight, you mean.” Her smile was tired, eyes starting to feel heavy. “Omi texted to say dinner is ready.”

“Good, I was getting hungry.”

They took no time in moving over to the dining room, though neither of them could expect what was expecting them: Taichi, in waiter vest, remaining of the Actor’s Café days.

“Good evening! Thank you for coming!” His smile couldn’t be wider. “Will you follow this way, please?”

“Nanao, what is going on?!” Sakyo grunted, turning to his partner. “Did you hear about any of this?”

He didn’t get any reply, as Taichi had already gone ahead, to guide them, and Izumi was too busy trying to hold back the blood rushing up to her face, deadly warmth creeping up to her ears. The yakuza resigned himself to clicking his tongue in annoyance, hands getting into pockets. These damn kids...

... did a very good job of surprising them.

Izumi gasped when they reached the exit; her eyes reflected the shine of the fairy lights draped over the trees, flashing as if a hundred fireflies had landed on the garden. In the middle of the courtyard stood a single table, red and black checkered tablecloth matching with Taichi’s hair, who pulled a chair for her to sit down. Sakyo sat across from her, not waiting for his help — or too entranced in observing the lights, so engrossed, he didn’t notice Banri by his side.

“Here’s a treat.” Dressed in the same waiter costume, hair pulled back, he placed a small basket of toast on the table. Taichi brought him a bottle of olive oil, and he served a drop of it on a saucer. “Sorry for the rudimentary apparel, it’s not like we had much time to prepare this.”

“No problem.” Izumi managed to stutter out, still shocked by the whole ordeal.

“The chef sends you his greetings and asked me to tell you that tonight’s meal is traditional Italian stuff. The first course is a Panzanella salad, followed by penne pasta with pomodoro sauce and roast beef as a side dish. The dessert will be vanilla gelato.”

“And lots of love!” Taichi shouted from the entrance, hurrying into the building. 

“Yeah, anyway. I’ll leave my Spotify open, tell me if you have any song requests. Fuckface will bring your entrance in a few minutes. Enjoy.”

Banri left as swiftly as he arrived, leaving a stunned couple (?) behind.

“... His diction is amazing, isn’t it?” That was all she could gather to comment. True to his words, they could hear the faint sound of an acoustic guitar, coming from the window of room 104, where Banri’s sound equipment was working at full force. 

What could one say in a situation like this? Even the ever composed Sakyo seemed to be losing it, toast crumbling under his grip. Izumi was speechless, torn between gratitude and despair. These boys would hear so much about this later. How did they go from “let her handle it” to “let’s prepare a romantic dinner” in less than 24 hours? She _really_ appreciated the gesture, but that was insane. All that work, only for the crushing, dead silence nestle between them. That night could as well be the final nail on the coffin of their relationship, but Autumn Troupe, bless their hearts, didn’t take that risk into account.

Oh, how good it is to be young and careless.

“I’m sorry.” Sakyo finally spoke up, although sounding choked. “I’m going to lecture all of them after we’re done. We can’t let food go to waste, otherwise, I’d just stand up now and—”

“Please, don’t do that. They must have worked really hard to set this up, and I know they have the best intentions.” Embarrassing as all of it was, they still did that especially for the two of them. She couldn’t let anyone, even Sakyo, make light of or even ruin their efforts. 

But great, now she had made things even more awkward. There was no skirting around that could pass this dinner off as anything but romantic, and she was sure that it felt like she was completely on board with it. The kids really wanted to push them into having that talk, but was Sakyo ready for it? How would he react? What could happen to them, maybe his feelings would change...

... As someone who was assigned the task of managing over twenty men, Izumi took pride in her emotional intelligence. Her analyzing skills, her ability to help people. She liked to think she was very capable in those aspects, but that train of thought was shooting herself on the foot. Her hesitation was based on nothing but projecting her insecurities on Sakyo, shifting the blame to him. Assuming things to justify her actions, pretending to be considerate of him, when actually doing the opposite.

Just like she said to Taichi, they were adults. They should be able to sort things out, if only Izumi let them do it. 

“I know this is weird.” She tentatively started off, holding back a sigh. “But there is a reason why they got us here tonight, and I guess we should get to that.”

“They’re being foolish. I’m sorry you have to go through this with me.”

“Don’t apologize, Sakyo-san. If anything, you’re the only person I’d like to be here with me now.” Like shock therapy, she took bold strides, believing in her capacity to open up to him — except she couldn’t find out how to keep going. “Listen. I... We...”

She was interrupted by Juza clearing his throat as he arrived with the first course.

“Excuse me.” He is quick and blunt in both words and actions, serving the table almost as if in a rush. “Here’s your salad. I also brought some juice. Please enjoy.”

And then, like his troupe mates, he was gone as if nothing happened; they were becoming really good at being stealth.

* * *

(“What the hell was that?” Banri slapped his nape when he arrived back at the kitchen.

“I couldn’t bear standing there for any longer than that.” Juza punched his ribs in retribution. “Too awkward. I would die.”)

* * *

“Sorry, I didn’t get what you were talking about.” Sakyo took a sip of his juice.

Right. That was something she was doing. Good thing Juza’s intermission gave her enough time to recompose her thoughts. 

“I don’t know if you still remember this story— It’s from when we were children, so probably not.” Her embarrassment was masked by a laugh. “We were at the theater, I think? And dad let us run around the stage, playing tag and stuff like that. Then you started talking about going backstage because you wanted to see how everything worked, or something like that, but when I decided to follow you, I just started crying. Because it was dark in there, I got scared; you know, those weird fears we have as children.”

He nodded, a sign for her to keep going.

“The thing is, after we grow up, we look back and see how simple things were, how we made mountains out of molehills. And then we proceed to do the same, but with other matters. We run away from issues that can be solved with basic communication, or we pretend these issues never existed to begin with. I want to stop doing this, I want to be honest to myself.”

“That’s commendable, one of the biggest virtues someone can have. I- I’m glad I am someone you can confide to, I’m just not sure why you’re telling me all of this now.” Sakyo stuttered, fingertips shaky.

“You know why.” Izumi fiddled with her hair, moving a lock behind her ear. “You know, right?”

Well, did he know?

Izumi had always felt like an unattainable presence, someone who was at arms’ length and miles away at the same time. Ever since they were children, she left an impression on him, and that fondness skyrocketed over the years they’ve spent together in Mankai. Sakyo found no shame in admitting he loved her, but saying that out loud — that was a “no”. He couldn’t do that, as it would only push her away from him. Izumi treated everyone equally, and she was amazingly professional while at that; if one of the actors confessed to her, he was sure they would get the same treatment as Masumi did, which was the most correct and model behavior she could display as their director.

But that was the last thing Sakyo wanted from her.

He found a way to cope with that situation in the letters carefully folded away at the bottom of a drawer (the same one that had its bottom fall off, he had to fix that as soon as possible). There was no need of acting on those feelings, and one day it would all fade away with the wind.

If only life stopped laughing at him and throwing all that teasing his way. The etude from the previous day drained every ounce of strength from his body, landing him straight to the bed after practice. Now, there was a whole dinner planned out by his troupe, who probably were mistaken about something, or even set this up as a prank for the poor director (the mere thought of that made his blood boil).

In any case, he couldn’t let his thoughts get ahead of reality, he’s too old for that. Even if she is raising flag after flag, getting his hopes up.

* * *

(“Can’t you turn down your damn music, Banri-san? I can’t hear a thing of what they’re saying!”

“Oh, interested now, Azami?”

“Quiet, you two!”

“Taichi, you can’t tell me when to shut up—”

“ _Quiet!_ ”)

* * *

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

“... You really don’t?”

“... No, I really don’t.”

There’s nothing bad enough that can’t get worse. 

“... Sometimes I forget you’re a bit dense.” A nervous chuckle spread through Izumi’s lips. “But I guess I don’t hate that.”

“Please, just go straight to the point.”

She would do that if she could! But her heart was about to jump off from her mouth. Her sweaty hands could barely hold the fork, and she almost felt bad for Omi — despite the beautiful appearance, she couldn’t feel the taste of that salad. 

It was written all over his face how his heart seemed about to do the same, though, so the director took a deep breath and dived in.

“Let’s address the elephant in the room. I love you, Sakyo-san. I’m afraid this will bring us trouble, but I’m tired of denying and lying to myself. I don’t want to run away anymore.”

“ _You what_?” He almost spilled the juice over that beautiful tablecloth, that would be a shame, but— that wasn’t the time to think about that!

“And I know you love me too, don’t you dare lie to my face!”

“I would never!” Sakyo goes into defense right away, still in shock from the confession. “Wait— Wait a minute, Tachibana, you—”

“What? How do I know about that?”

“Yes! I thought I was acting like always, I...” 

To be honest, what “acting like always” meant to him when it came to Izumi?

He had always been in love with her. 

“Sakyo-san, I’m sorry.” She finally lets out a relaxed laugh. “You never fooled me.”

“I never tried to fool you...”

Izumi couldn’t stop smiling, especially at Sakyo’s surprised expression. It was the cutest thing she had ever seen, and the part of herself that keeps pushing for her to continue wants to kiss him until he finds his way with words again.

“In any case, now that we got this out of the way. I’ve been thinking I didn’t want our relationship to change, both for our and Mankai Company’s sake. I’ve been agonizing this whole time over what I should do about these feelings, if I should act on them, what would come next...”

“What comes next is the main dish.”

“Boys, for God’s sake, please stop doing this whole ‘sneak up on the table’ thing.”

“Sorry, sorry, Director. Anyway, here’s your pasta... chef added some herbs to the sauce, hope you like it.”

“Here’s your side dish.”

“Loosen up, Hyodo, they’ve already confessed.”

“Settsu!” Sakyo was about to burst from how overwhelmed he was. Banri and Juza’s presence at the table certainly wasn’t helping him calm down.

“Well, he’s not wrong.” Izumi grinned. “Thanks, you two.”

“Anytime, Director. Enjoy the meal.”

“Enjoy.”

“These two will be my demise someday.” The yakuza took off his glasses again, rubbing his temples. “I’m sorry for all the stress I’ve caused you without knowing.”

“I’m sorry for doing the same to you.”

“Hey, this isn’t what the both of you should be saying to each other now!” Banri screamed from the entrance, prompting Juza to slap his arm and drag him back to the kitchen.

“Again, he’s not wrong.” She sighed, looking at the leftovers on her dish. “So, how should we proceed?”

“Anything that makes you happy will make me equally happy.”

“I know, and that’s really sweet, but we need a concrete answer.”

That question was a very relevant one, indeed. Where would they go from that moment? Hesitation and fears aside, Izumi had to admit she couldn’t envision the two of them getting into a serious fight. She had dreaded the possibility of a romantic relationship with Sakyo for so long, that now it could be about to happen, she had no idea of how that would work.

It gave her a sort of nostalgic feeling, similar to when she took over Mankai Company. Compared to that time, at least, she felt much more steady on her feet; she wouldn’t be alone, having to do everything on her own. It takes two to tango, after all, and Sakyo was the kind of man who would hold her hand through the entire journey.

“Do you want to try? Dating, I mean.” He proposes in a half-whisper, and it felt like he could read her mind. “I know I may not be the most reliable man out there, and not the strongest one. I may be uptight, and frugal, and I may be too overbearing and thickheaded, but...”

“Sakyo-san.”

“... but I promise I will try to make you happy. I’ll do my best to put a smile on your face.”

“You don’t need to.” She puts a hand over his. “Ever since I arrived in Veludo Way, all you gave me were reasons to smile, every day. From the founding of this company to your confession tonight. I don’t even know what I was so afraid of, really. I guess I just was _that_ scared over the possibility of missing you someday.”

“I can’t say I don’t understand the feeling.” He holds her hand and pulls it closer, kissing it. “Please take good care of me, then.”

“Will do. Please take care of me as well.”

If only Banri paused his playlist, the couple would have been able to hear three grown men’s cooing coming from the kitchen.

* * *

“I _never_ could imagine this was going to happen when I got up this morning.”

After getting their emotional baggage out of the way, Sakyo and Izumi finally could enjoy the dinner as it was intended, full compliments to Omi. Between all the hand-holding and romantic stares that ensued in the twenty minutes after their confessions, she was pretty sure she could get used to this. He didn’t share that opinion, though, ears burning under blonde hair.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned after we’ve met again, is that life in this company is completely unpredictable.” Sakyo had a warm smile after emptying his glass. “Starting from the director asking the yakuza loan shark who’s been threatening her for months to join her troupe.”

“Desperate times ask for desperate measures.”

The sound of their laughter echoed through the courtyard, and it probably could be heard from every corner of the dormitory.

“And from that, we managed to become a couple now.”

“You tell me.” Izumi was unable to get that bubbly grin out of her face. “Can’t wait to see where we’ll go next.”

“Next is the dessert.”

“I’ve gotten used to you guys now, Azami-kun.” She patted his shoulder. “And Banri-kun already made the same joke with the main dish.”

“Whatever.” He set down the bowls of gelato. “Wait until I get out to go back to being mushy.”

“Bon, don’t talk to her like this.”

“You can’t tell me what to do, and I’ve had enough of your sappy talk when I went through those letters.”

Izumi almost jumped in shock when Sakyo banged his hands on the table, red cheeks fuming.

“So this is how you found out—”

“Oops. Anyway, nice dessert.”

“Wait, Bon! Come back here now! We’re not done, you need to learn how to respect others’ privacy—”

“We can talk about that when you fix your drawer. Good night, Director.” He walked away from the garden, completely ignoring Sakyo’s embarrassed protests. 

“Well, aren’t you glad he found it? I can say I am.”

“Tachibana, you pamper them too much.”

“No need to worry. Don’t tell them, but you’re still my favorite.”

“You’re not supposed to play favorites.” 

“And you’re not supposed to let your gelato melt. Come on, eat up.”

* * *

  
“Look at how sweet they are.” Omi smiled from ear to ear, finally done with his role for the night.

“Hey, Omi-san, is there any gelato left?”

“Come on, Hyodo, don’t you have a single romantic bone in your body?”

“What, Ban-chan, are you jealous?”

“The fuck, Taichi?”

“Don’t be ashamed! I also wish I could have a romantic dinner like this.” The redhead spun around, heaving a dramatic sigh.

“You all are crazy.” Azami started unbuttoning his vest, ready to go back to his room.

“Be honest, aren’t you even slightly happy for them?”

“That’s not my issue to worry about.” He paused for a second, looking through the window. “If they’ve chosen each other, then they have to do this properly.”

From the kitchen, Autumn Troupe could see Sakyo’s rare laughing face, as Izumi tried to feed him some gelato. Patting each other’s back, the feeling between them was unambiguous.

“Mission complete, guys.” Their leader smiled triumphantly. “Now let’s get some leftovers because I’m _starving_.”

**Author's Note:**

> please check [xiruo's art of the confession scene](https://twitter.com/no_xiruo/status/1263356139917500416)! 
> 
> thank you for reading!
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/wingsaloof)


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